How to Shoot a Reverse Layup in Basketball

Warm up., Start your layup outside the key on either side., Make a buffer between you and the defender to cut inside., Drive to the baseline., Jump outwards towards the opposite side of the rim., Delay the pickup of your reverse layup before the...

7 Steps 4 min read Medium

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Warm up.

    Shooting the reverse layup involves executing swift, sharp drives across the court to the opposite side of the basket.

    This kind of activity can easily strain muscles in your legs.

    To prevent this, you should warm up before attempting the reverse layup.

    To warm up, you might:
    Do some light stretching.

    Touch your toes.

    Brace yourself against a wall and incline each foot, one at a time, to stretch your calves, and so on, until your muscles are warmed up.

    Do some light calisthenics, like lunges, jumping jacks, a few laps around the court, or other kinds of light aerobic exercise.
  2. Step 2: Start your layup outside the key on either side.

    Technically, it's possible to perform a reverse layup at a closer distance.

    However, for the purpose of mastering the mechanics of this technique, you should begin your approach for this shot outside the key.

    There are many angles of attack you could use for the reverse layup, but all traditional ones drive from either side of the free throw lane to the opposite side of the basket.

    True beginners can locate the key on the court by looking for the keyhole shape formed by the paint of the free throw lane and the semicircle at the top of that lane., If a defender sees you coming, they might block you from cutting to their inside (towards the basket) and crossing to the opposite side of the hoop.

    Try to create enough space between you and the defender that you have a clean route to drive to the baseline.

    The baseline is the boundary line for either side of the court directly underneath the basket of each time.

    While approaching the basket for your reverse layup, you might juke to the outside (away from the basket) to throw off the defender, then cut hard to their inside to the opposite side of the basket., Now that you've created space enough for your approach, drive to the baseline of the opposite side of the basket.

    When you are about two steps from the opposite side of the rim, you'll need to take hold of the ball and prepare to make the shot.

    You may have to adjust to defense while taking this shot.

    This may mean that you have to begin the jump for your reverse layup a step early or late and adjust accordingly. , As you cut across the free throw lane to the baseline, one side of your leg will face inside (toward the basket), and the other outside (toward the court).

    Drive downward off your inside leg and jump toward the opposite side of the rim.

    The reverse layup can be shot from either side of the free throw lane.

    No matter which side you approach from, always jump off your inside leg.

    When jumping, it is often instinct to look down or at the ball.

    Losing sight of the basket will only hurt your shot.

    Incline your head slightly while jumping to keep the basket in view., An instant after you begin your jump, you'll need to take the ball and make the shot.

    When taking hold of the ball, delay your pickup slightly so you grip the ball high in the arc of its bounce.

    The ball should be at about chest level before you make the shot., At this point, one of your hands will be facing inside (toward the basket) and the other outside (toward the court).

    Take the ball in your outside hand while jumping, extend your arm, and flip the ball off the backboard and into the hoop.Unlike many distance shots, the reverse layup doesn't require you to shoot from the knees.

    Instead, focus on a strong, consistent, clean shooting motion.
  3. Step 3: Make a buffer between you and the defender to cut inside.

  4. Step 4: Drive to the baseline.

  5. Step 5: Jump outwards towards the opposite side of the rim.

  6. Step 6: Delay the pickup of your reverse layup before the shot.

  7. Step 7: Make the shot.

Detailed Guide

Shooting the reverse layup involves executing swift, sharp drives across the court to the opposite side of the basket.

This kind of activity can easily strain muscles in your legs.

To prevent this, you should warm up before attempting the reverse layup.

To warm up, you might:
Do some light stretching.

Touch your toes.

Brace yourself against a wall and incline each foot, one at a time, to stretch your calves, and so on, until your muscles are warmed up.

Do some light calisthenics, like lunges, jumping jacks, a few laps around the court, or other kinds of light aerobic exercise.

Technically, it's possible to perform a reverse layup at a closer distance.

However, for the purpose of mastering the mechanics of this technique, you should begin your approach for this shot outside the key.

There are many angles of attack you could use for the reverse layup, but all traditional ones drive from either side of the free throw lane to the opposite side of the basket.

True beginners can locate the key on the court by looking for the keyhole shape formed by the paint of the free throw lane and the semicircle at the top of that lane., If a defender sees you coming, they might block you from cutting to their inside (towards the basket) and crossing to the opposite side of the hoop.

Try to create enough space between you and the defender that you have a clean route to drive to the baseline.

The baseline is the boundary line for either side of the court directly underneath the basket of each time.

While approaching the basket for your reverse layup, you might juke to the outside (away from the basket) to throw off the defender, then cut hard to their inside to the opposite side of the basket., Now that you've created space enough for your approach, drive to the baseline of the opposite side of the basket.

When you are about two steps from the opposite side of the rim, you'll need to take hold of the ball and prepare to make the shot.

You may have to adjust to defense while taking this shot.

This may mean that you have to begin the jump for your reverse layup a step early or late and adjust accordingly. , As you cut across the free throw lane to the baseline, one side of your leg will face inside (toward the basket), and the other outside (toward the court).

Drive downward off your inside leg and jump toward the opposite side of the rim.

The reverse layup can be shot from either side of the free throw lane.

No matter which side you approach from, always jump off your inside leg.

When jumping, it is often instinct to look down or at the ball.

Losing sight of the basket will only hurt your shot.

Incline your head slightly while jumping to keep the basket in view., An instant after you begin your jump, you'll need to take the ball and make the shot.

When taking hold of the ball, delay your pickup slightly so you grip the ball high in the arc of its bounce.

The ball should be at about chest level before you make the shot., At this point, one of your hands will be facing inside (toward the basket) and the other outside (toward the court).

Take the ball in your outside hand while jumping, extend your arm, and flip the ball off the backboard and into the hoop.Unlike many distance shots, the reverse layup doesn't require you to shoot from the knees.

Instead, focus on a strong, consistent, clean shooting motion.

About the Author

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Frank Jones

Dedicated to helping readers learn new skills in lifestyle and beyond.

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